As Olympic track and field champions gear up for the grand stage, they’re not just aiming for gold—they’re eyeing a historic payday as well, in lieu of recent announcements. With World Athletics announcing its groundbreaking decision to offer cash prizes to Paris Olympics gold medalists, the track and field sport is undergoing a profound shift.

Amidst the buzz surrounding this significant development, another piece of news is making waves across the internet. Interestingly, this has led spectators and athletes in limbo to debunk the misconception surrounding the profitability of World Athletics.

World Athletics’ financial realities exposed by Rori Dunk

In a recent post, Rori Dunk, Olympic Medalist took to his official Twitter account and posted a picture of a track and field athlete. Alongside the picture, he penned, “There’s a misconception about the profitability of the World Athletics (Athletics Governing Body)… Athletes aren’t being underpaid, the sport is underearning.“

Despite the widespread perception of lucrative payouts in professional sports, a closer look at the financial landscape of World Athletics, the governing body for track and field, reveals a different reality. While the spotlight often falls on the track athletes, the remuneration structure for board members, council members, and other positions within the organization shed light on the complex dynamics at play.

As World Athletics announced the cash prizes, it landed at a critical juncture. In the same post, Rori Dunk penned, “In 2022 they reported revenues of 54.9 million dollars. That year, they reported 72 million dollars in expenditures.“ Despite having a commendable 26.6% increase in like-for-like revenue, reaching $54.9 million in 2022, the governing body faces a stark reality when pitted against the likes of NBA and NFL.

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Track and field’s struggle amidst NBA and NFL revenues

In addition to the increase in revenue, track and field expenditures soared by 36.7% to $72 million, as World Athletics hosted four world championship events and invested substantially in competition and events. While hosting these events attracted over 4,000 athletes across 180 countries and garnered a cumulative TV audience of over one billion, it also underscored a concerning trend.

Unfortunately, World Athletics is now operating at a deficit. This financial strain is further magnified when compared to the staggering revenues of other professional sports, like the NBA and NFL. In contrast to track and field, the NBA recorded a colossal revenue of $10.58 billion, whereas the NFL reached an all-time high of $11.9 billion during the 2022 season. This vast disparity in financial resources raises pertinent questions about World Athletics’ adequacy in compensating its athletes.

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